Vinnie M’s story

Lyndsey’s baby Vinnie had a high temperature and was limp, floppy and unresponsive

He was not feeding and had jerky arm and leg movements. But his meningitis was originally missed and it was only after further visits that the cause of his illness was diagnosed.

Lyndsey, from Reading, tells their story here.

“Friday 17 July 2015 started as a normal day. We went to my daughter Izabella’s school sports day. Vinnie was his happy, normal self. We stayed and had a picnic on the grass with the other children."

“We had to go shopping and Vinnie slept the whole time. Changing his nappy when we got back to the car I noticed a pinprick red and purple rash was appearing all over his body."

“I took him back into the supermarket and went to the pharmacist, who said it just looked viral or a heat rash and not to worry. I wasn't convinced, I knew something wasn't right."

“By this time Vinnie was hot to touch and was really lethargic. My partner Ben said we would take him straight to A&E. On arrival we were taken into a room and they took Vinnie's bloods and gave him some Calpol for his temperature."

“Vinnie was still asleep after two hours of being there, so I decided to wake him for his feed. He was breast feeding and his latch was very sloppy. He only fed for 10 minutes compared to his usual 40 minute feed."

Probably just a cold

“His bloods came back fine, so we were sent home saying it was probably just a cold."

“All night Vinnie cried in between sleeping. He fed only once during the night and cried when I picked him up or put him down. He kept jerking when he was trying to sleep and his legs and arms were all over the place."

“All Saturday he was not his normal self. He wouldn't stop crying and had only two feeds in 12 hours. His temperature was still high and Calpol wasn't doing much to help him."

“On the Sunday he was just as bad, so I rang the 111 team. They said the doctor wanted to see him."

"On arrival Vinnie seemed a bit happier, but after checking his ear, throat and urine the doctor wasn't convinced. She said that a baby of his age should not have a temperature for no reason. We were sent back down to A&E to see the doctors there."

“Here they took Vinnie’s bloods again and his temperature was still up. They admitted us as the consultant wasn't happy with how Vinnie was behaving. They made a plan that if his temperature was to spike again he would start antibiotics through IV and have a lumbar puncture."

Terrifying experience

“At 11.30pm his temperature spiked at 40.4, so he started IV antibiotics and had a lumbar puncture - it was the most terrifying experience of my life!"

“My partner was at home with our other two children, Izabella and her sister Darcie. The doctors came round in the morning and explained that Vinnie had bacterial meningitis and the next 24 hours would be a waiting game to see if the antibiotics were working."

“As a family we found this very hard as my older brother had died from bacterial meningitis and septicaemia at 9-months-old, 27 years before."

“The doctors were waiting for the cultures to come back to confirm the bacteria, but the antibiotics had started working and Vinnie was improving. The cultures came back inconclusive, so we will never know which bacteria caused our baby to get so ill."

“He was on IV antibiotics for 14 days; in hospital for seven days and then we had to go back for the next seven days with his cannula for his antibiotics."

“Vinnie had a hearing test and has had two check-ups. We are hoping his last one will be this January."